Patent GB-260274-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1926-10-20
Abstract: 260,274. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Carroll, F. M.). Oct. 21, 1925, [Convention date]. Statistical machines.-In a recordcard-controlled statistical machine a plurality of accumulator elements, provided with interchangeable transfer mechanism as set out in Specifications 168,311 and 235,911, are also provided with resetting means for each element operable independently of that of any other element. Each accumulator element is a single denomination one, constructed as a self-contained unit. There are forty-five columns on the card and forty-five separate accumulator elements 50, Fig. 1, co-operating with forty-five rings of type on a drum 64, the printing mechanism being as described in Specification 204,676. The accumulators are split into five banks: Fig. 1 shows three accumulator elements of the nine in one bank, with their sets of terminals 62, in which a common shaft 56 drives, through gearing 120, 122, Fig. 3, for each unit, a sleeve 124 having fixed thereto a collar 126 and cam 128 and having loose thereon a gear 136 driven through the train 122, 132, 130, 134. This shaft 124 makes one revolution per card cycle. Rigid with the gear 136 is a clutch element 138 which, when lowered by an arm 166. Figs. 5 and 15. engages a member 140, 142 loose on shaft 124 and constituting the adding wheel. One tooth 142 corresponds to the distance between two successive perforation index points on the card, there being twenty teeth 142, and the parts 138, 142 when engaged making one revolution in two card cycles. To each add. ing wheel there are a listing magnet 146 and a total-printing magnet 148 having armatures 150, 152 pivoted at 154. Rigid with the armature 150 is a hook arm 164 normally holding a member 160 pivoted at 158 so that the arm 166 of this member normally raises the clutch member 138. The member 160 has also arms 180, 162, and 168. A spring 182 fixed at 184 and adjustably fulcrummed at 186, contacts with the arm 180 to rotate the member 160 clockwise. The arm 166 has a slot engaging the hooked end of an arm 198 pivoted to a member 58 hinged at 190 and having a lug 192 normally contacting with the frame. This member 58 when lowered pulls down the call-wire 52. The cards pass with their " 9 " index points first past the brushes and when a hole is detected the listing magnet 146 appropriate to the column is energized, releasing the arm 162 whereupon the member J60 lowers the clutch member 138 and pulls down the wire 52. At the end of one rotation of shaft 124 a cam 188 on the sleeve 126 raises the arm 168 and de-clutches the parts. The wheel 140 adds the correct amount for the rest of the cycle and the wire 52, Fig. 1, through mechanism 110, 100, 54, 84, 86 and 66, effects elevation of the correct type for printing as in Specification 204,676, directly the magnet 146 is energized. When the member 160 is raised and the clutch disengaged an arm 176 pivoted thereto engages in teeth 144 on the adding wheel. Printing totals.-In this class of machine total taking may be effected by a manually-depressed key or automatically when the card-group changes or when a stop-card reaches the reading brushes. In the present instance, as in Specification 204,676, a stop-card is employed. A shaft 202, Fig. 19, actuates the paper-feed mechanism and at total taking this shaft is rotated to give a blank space before the total is taken. A cam 204 on this shaft 202 closes contacts 206 to energize a magnet 208 which actuates a one-revolution clutch to rotate cams 222, one for each adding wheel, and a single cam 224. Contacts 226 controlled by the cam 224 close first and establish a circuit 228-230 all total-taking magnets 148- 232-226-234. Shortly afterwards, cams 222 close contacts 236 to energize all the listing magnets 146. When the magnets 148 are energized, each armature 152, Figs. 5 and 15, through an integral arm 248 lowers a frame 250 on a shaft 252 to the position shown in Fig. 15. An extension 262 on this frame rotates a bell-crank 194, 198 to remove the hooked end of the arm 198 from the slot in the arm 166 so that when the clutch 138 is lowered the call-wire 52 is not lowered. Another extension 260 is lowered intothe path of two diametrically-opposite zero stops 268 on the adding wheel. Upon energization of the magnet 146 the clutch member 138 is lowered and the adding wheel rotated until the stop 268 reaches the extension 260. This stop then rotates the frame 250 about its shaft 252 and causes a lug 264 on the frame to rock the arm 162, disengaging the clutch and stopping the adding wheel at zero, and also to rock the arm 266 of the member 58 so that the call-wire 52 is lowered to effect printing of the correct number. Transfer mechanism.-The transfer devices are as described in Specifications 168,311 and 235,911. Each adding wheel 140 carries a flange 270 having two transfer points, and at each point is a cam 272, Fig. 8, corresponding to the " 9 " position of the adding wheel and a higher cam 274 for when the wheel passes to " 0." Coacting with the flange is an arm 278 having steps 284. 286, 288 designed to release only the contact member 290 (" 9 position) or both contactmembers 290, 292 (" 0 " position). When an arm 298 is subsequently rocked about its pivot 300 the pins 294, 296 thereon release the members 290, 292. For the "9 " position 290, 292 coact to close a circuit and for the " 0 " 292 contacts with a member 308 only. This allows for successive transfer, as may be seen from the circuits to the left of Fig. 19. At transfer, after an adding wheel has moved one digit a cam 324 on the sleeve 124, Fig. 5, declutches the wheel. Circuit diagrams are also shown, illustrating how transfer may be effected by plug connections to any non-adjacent denomination and how items added on one wheel may be printed by type normally corresponding to other adding wheels.. Specification 204,677 is referred to.